I am going to try to take my own advice from earlier in the week and attempt to write about something that at least has the semblance of being about Basketball. Of course, this does not always seem appropriate. This feels like one of those days where its right to take notice and condemn what has happened in Virginia, not to mention the Mosque attack in Minnesota, and to just simply be horrified of where our country is today.
As such, I am not going to write an eloquent attack or essay on the topic, but here are a few things I have been reading (or re-reading).
An interview with Ayaz Virji, a Muslim Doctor, who moved to rural Minnesota in the age of Trump
Rembert Browne, formerly of Grantland, recounting his experience from Ferguson
Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right
NBA News
League buzz: #Twolves trying to convince Shabazz Muhammad to come back. They, of course, can only offer the minimum at this time. Hard task. pic.twitter.com/lbsFdEpQ2M
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) August 12, 2017
So I guess the Wolves are trying to get Shabazz Muhammad to come back on a minimum contract. It is hard to see why Shabazz would want to come back on such a small contract and is certainly less than what the Wolves theoretically offered during contract extension negotiations.
Many of us kind of assumed that there would be a market for Shabazz this offseason that would push the Wolves out of competition. That market has not materialized in the slightest, which has been the case for many players in the NBA.
The idea was that some team like Brooklyn would want to take a shot at a young scorer who has never really been put in the best situation for him to be able to succeed. However, it seems like they were more interested in acquiring a player like Allen Crabbe and serving as salary cap relief for other teams in order to get draft picks than chasing players like Shabazz.
It is tough to see where Shabazz would like to go at this point. Ideally, there would have been team that would value his scoring ability off the bench, whether that is a good team or not, and bring him on to simply get buckets. Shabazz likes to get buckets.
However, there really has not been traction for those types of deals. A few teams have reportedly been interested such as the Orlando Magic or Atlanta Hawks.
The Hawks, Nets, Bucks, Knicks, Magic and Bulls have each shown some level of interest in unrestricted FA Shabazz Muhammad, sources confirm.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 20, 2017
Signing with any of these teams for a small contract would certainly consign Shabazz to becoming an NBA Journeyman, as it really would not be a great look for him to play an uncertain role on a team that has no real plan. Out of any of those teams, it would be interesting to see him sign on with the Bucks.
So what will Shabazz do? It is probably anyone’s guess. It would, of course, be wonderful for the Wolves to be able to sign him at the minimum for the upcoming year. The team simply needs bodies on the Wing and Bazzy could fill that role and perhaps he could be more apt to playing a more “team-oriented” style of play when there are a few real veterans around that would get in his ear about it.
Hope it is a good Sunday.